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Children with images of doves at the Aman Ittehad rally in Karachi - photo Beena Sarwar

As 2010 begins, our thoughts are with those who have lost loved ones, particularly those who died in violent attacks. It’s always devastating when that happens but it really hits you when you know someone affected. I can’t stop thinking about Faheem who lost his 6-year old son and 13-year old niece, and Sajid who lost his brother and bhabi…

Zehra Nigah’s powerful and moving lines penned as a high school student for the martyrs of the 1953 student movement are sadly still relevant today. She wrote down the few lines she remembered when Sharjil and I went to interview her for our documentary on the student movement to be screened on Jan 9 at the Arts Council Karachi. See scanned image in her own handwriting at the Dr Sarwar blog

The cynical message doing the rounds is that Pakistan is the only country that begins the New Year with a strike. But it is perhaps also the only country where peace and solidarity rallies are taking place under the banner of Aman Ittehad, in over FIFTY locations around the country, from Quetta and Khuzdar to Swabi and Jacobabad, Sialkot to Kurram Agency (partial list below). Participants include ‘ordinary citizens’ as well as members of activist organisations. NOTE: The Karachi rally time has been changed to4.00 pm, at the Press Club (not 3.00 pm as earlier planned). Wear white, bring friends.

Here’s an inspiring note from Ali Asghar Khan, one of the organisers, sent at 12.30 pm today to the Aman Ittehad group

Subject: The day begins and news filters in!

“Dear friends,
Three hundred people have already gathered in Swabi, more than 500 in Abbottabad are at the Press Club, set to take part in a rally, groups are on their way to Islamabad from Murree and beyond, from Attock from Rawalpindi and Hasanabdal, trade unionist , lawyers, Students from Quaid-e-Azam University, professionals, the young and the old, both activists and ordinary citizens… In Mansehra, the physically challenged have also joined in the walk. News begins to filter in from different parts- a display of the resolve that each and every person involved with this effort has shown. Let us make today special as we all stand together ready to embark on a collective journey for peace on the first day of the ‘New Decade’.”